Tuesday, 15 June 2010

The eagle owls they're not telling you about

My spies on the ground in the Forest of Bowland tell me that there's another pair of eagle owls, besides the ones that appear to have come to a sticky end.

This other pair are older and more experienced, and have successfully fledged their chicks already - despite what's described as "swarms" of watchers crawling all over any raptor foolish enough to set up home in the area. I'm told the poor harriers have to put up with a hide barely 30 yards from their nest.

Meanwhile, back home, the foxes are coming in nicely to my bait. Here's one that grabbed a trout I'd left out. The foxes had been feeding all round it on and off through the night, but treating it with great suspicion. It wasn't until dawn began to break that this one plucked up courage to grab the fish...

I think you have it the wrong way around there - the nest of the older more experienced birds has been known about for some time. United Utilities declined to let the police mark their eggs this year after the debacle last year when they were marked at the insistence of our old chum PC Thomas - with the consequence that they deserted the nest.

I'm not aware that the chicks have actually fledged yet, but the last report I heard was they were doing fine.

It's the second pair of eagle owls - discovered by the Unpopular Front for the Protection of Raptors - who are in difficulties. The safest thing to do if you discover any endangered species of raptor nesting in Bowland is to tell nobody about it. Unfortunately, one of the UFftPoR broke rank and publicly revealed the location. Shortly afterwards the fun and games publicised recently began - chicks starving and parents missing.

You never know though - one chick is unaccounted for, and may yet turn up alive and well. Fingers crossed ... ;)

I'm told an amateur photographer has been given permission to film a Harrier's nest in Bowland - it's probably his hide you refer to.

Don't worry, if he scares the birds away, United Utilities probably won't let him film again next year. They learn by their mistakes .... eventually, and at a cost!

Assuming that is true about the hide it is disgraceful surely RSPB should not allow this to happen.Meconopsis sadly the top brass at RSPB who i generally think do a top rate job have serious difficulty understanding that they need to get land owners on side so how about a change of attitude from the new C E think it is Mike Clarke for sure wildlife needs you to change that attitude and the Sea Eagle debacle in East Anglia where land owners refuse to co-operate is a direct consequence of their attitude to land owners.

About me

James Marchington is a freelance journalist, photographer and video producer specialising in Britain's wildlife, the countryside and fieldsports. He produces and manages the TSC Clay Shooting channel on YouTube, and his work appears regularly in the shooting press, on The Shooting Show and Fieldsportschannel, and occasionally on his own Youtube channel.

Contact

'Freelance' means what it says - I'm always happy to talk to potential clients about writing, photography and video production. There's no obligation so you've nothing to lose - just pick up the phone and call for a chat.